SG81

iTrader: (1)

anyone else think it looks like an RX-8?

TL CHROMETIDE

It's left hand drive....... Why?

SG81

iTrader: (1)

maybe it's the North American version

biker

Why would you expect it to be right hand drive?

phile

look at that bulging hood...doesn't seem mid-engine to me.

danny25

because Honda is a Japanese company and they drive right hand drive cars there.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Where do you see pictures of the hood?

phile

^ on one of the side shots, you see the bulge on the hood. But no, no actual pic of said hood from a front angle, though.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Doesn't look that different from the current S2000 hood.

Although if this truly is a test mule for the new NSX I suppose it's losing the mid-engine/rear drive platform.

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Although if they had to stretch the car like that and add such a huge B-pillar maybe there is an engine back there.

AsianRage

I think it's the mule for the S2K's replacement, S800 which will be less of a sport car and more GT

TSX69

Sly Raskal

iTrader: (1)

my vote is that it's for the next gen s2000

Speed_Racer

I wonder why 2 are capped off?

fsttyms1

You do know you can have a front mid engine right?

fsttyms1

I think they are just using that modified car to test equipment, like motor and trans set up

Black Tire

great...future test mules will be just riced out Honda's.

Fibonacci

Honda, enough talk already, walk the fucking walk!

Give us something to be proud of!

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

Spied! New Honda Formula 1 drivetrain testing on the streets of California!

GreenMonster

Hotlinked pics aren't working...

Here's the link to additional pics:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/acura-nsx-future.html

phile

No, no I did not...

TL CHROMETIDE

Like what danny25 said.

Is Honda already done with the right-hand non-US version that they are already testing the left-hand US version?

fsttyms1

Ferrari's 599 is. As long as the front engine is rear of the front axle centerline giving it a 50/50 or less up front weight distribution its a front mid engine helping to give it great weight distribution and handling.

F23A4

^^ Definitely a test mule of sorts....seeing as it looks like ass!!

Moog-Type-S

vishnus11

Heck, the S2000 uses a front mid engine layout for that matter.

Midengine = engine between two axles. You can have front midengined layouts ala S2000 and 599GTB, and you can have rear midengined layouts ala boxster and other supercars.

vishnus11

that test mile is quite .... befuddling..for lack of better terminology.

The bulge in the front hood hints at something front engined. But the hood length doesn't seem long enough to accomodate a V8 or V10 the way Honda would want to. Honda's style would be to shove the motor right up against the firewall for a lower polar moment of inertia, but in this case it would appear that half the motor is in front of the headlights ala Audi.

Then there's the location of the driver's head vs. the rear axle - the distance between the two is quite large....almost too large. To me that hints at a midengined setup or a 2+2 layout. I hope its the former.

This is some of the best news I've read regarding Honda/Acura all year. This pretty much confirms that Honda/Acura's sports car program is far from dead. Hopefully the next S2000 successor will make an entrance along with the next gen NSX.

shrykhar

Don't forget the SLR. That giant snout isn't just a phallic fashion design.

fsttyms1

Why not? a V8 is basically a 4 cyl mated together in a V. The I4 thats already in the S2K would be the approximate length of a V8, and it wouldnt require much more for a V10 (if its a small displacement)

and

csmeance

agree, i doubt the all new NSX will look like an s2000

mltk53

ehh?

biker

...but the testing is taking place in Germany where you need left hand drive cars. They could very well have similar test mules in Japan with right hand drive but in Germany I wouldn't expect anything but left hand drive cars.

biker

No, they do the development for the volume car and then they adopt it for right hand drive. Where the steering wheel is in the car makes little diff when one is testing a drivetrain. Honda might be a Japanese company but that doesn't mean they develop the car for right hand drive and then adopt it for left hand drive.

dom

What's sad is that test mule looks better than the Advanced Sports Concept it supposedly based on.

Its nice to finally see a Honda test mule/spy shots. It seems we're always seeing something from everyone but Honda.

F23A4

Which is likely why the GTR test mule was an Infiniti G35 coupe as opposed to the V35 Skyline coupe.

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

http://www.caranddriver.com/carnews/...acura-nsx.html

GreenMonster

Right... It really doesn't matter if it's a testmule for the next gen nsx, next gen s2k, or next gen CL.... Just the fact that H/A has testmules out there is an encouraging scenerio...

GreenMonster

Guess we'll have to wait for the Tokyo auto show in October to find out what the real deal is...

Moog-Type-S

phile

Just an FYI in case anyone didn't click page 2...but for that caranddriver link, on page 2, there's a front shot of this test mule. I think this is probably the only place where I've seen it from that angle.